Not a Hero
by angel'stears17
Summary: Once upon a time my life wasn't such a nightmare. I had the world at my fingertips. Once upon a time...I wasn't a slave.
1. Prologue

Not a Hero

Prologue

"You retched girl! Get away from me before I lose my patience with you for the last time!" Limburger screamed. He threw me into my cell and slammed the door. The lock clicked in place and I was once again left alone in the darkness. My left arm screamed in protest as I propped myself against the cold concrete wall. It was undoubtedly broken. Again. Shattered like the last two times he had lost his temper with me. I gently pulled it onto my lap and braced myself for the pain as I reset the bone with my remaining, unscathed hand. Blinded by agony I squeezed my eyes shut tight and forced back tears.

It wasn't fair. What gave him the right to take innocent people from their homes and use them as his personal slaves? I'd been gone so long I barely remembered my home or the faces of the people I love. I was, however, very thankful that the knowledge my grandmother had passed on to me had stayed with me these years. Without it I would be disfigured, due to the many injuries administered to me by my master.

Huddled in my corner, I began to hum the melody to song my mother used to sing to me to comfort me when I was a child. _Hush my baby, don't you cry…_I could hear my mother's voice as if she sat beside me. _Don't give up… _the words played in my mind. _You are loved…_A sob escaped my lips. I missed my family and knowing someone loved me. There was no such thing here. This place was full of nothing but hate. Saying "I love you" while using someone for your pleasure and meaning them were on complete opposite ends of the scale.

As I was tearing my shirt to wrap my arm the door to my cell creaked open. It was the "doctor". More like mad scientist. Many scars I had were due to his testing and experiments.

"What?" I spat and hissed as a new surge of pain tore through my arm.

"The boss wants ta see ya." Grease pit stepped in behind the doc. I narrowed my eyes and began to growl low in my throat, a sound purely predatory.

"Stupid girl. You will only do yourself more harm by refusing." the doc pointed out. And it was true. Careful of my swollen and now purple arm I made my way towards them. Grease pit gripped my good arm with such force I thought it was going to explode. I winced and he loosened his death grip. I was lead away from my cell and into Limburger's office. Grease pit gave me a shove towards the desk, causing me to stumble and bash my injured arm off a chair, before slipping out.

"I hope the time spent in your cell has reminded you who is superior here." Limburger spoke facing the window. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes...Master." I added through gritted teeth. I couldn't take anymore abuse today, so for once I complied.

"Very good." He turned, with a delirious grin on his face. I hated that look…because I knew what always came next.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter one

I hit the floor hard as I was again returned to my cell. I now had a bloody nose and swollen eye to go with my arm, which was again screaming in pain. And again I had done nothing to deserve them. I wiped the blood on my shirt and lightly felt the baseball that was now my right eye. That would take at least a week or two to heal.

I sighed and leaned my head back against the wall. My mind played through the day. _Wrong answer! _he screamed as he hurled me to the floor. _Retched girl! Stupid girl!_ I have a name I thought angrily.

_You're Van. The bravest, strongest, kindest person I know. You're my best friend. Don't ever forget that. _ My best friend River had once told me and I never did forget. But I didn't feel like the person he described.

"Dinner." Grease pit said as he tossed a plate into the cage. I pushed it away. I hadn't eaten a meal in several days and I wasn't about to. I'd rather die than live in this hell hole another day. "The boss ain't gonna be happy about dis." Grease pit shook his head and slammed my door.

My head suddenly felt dizzy and the next thing I knew water was being poured on my face. I choked and quickly sat up.

"My dear girl whatever gave you the idea that you could starve yourself? Have you forgotten one teeny tiny detail- I OWN YOU!" He back handed me across the face. I spit blood at him in response. "Fortunately for you I have other matters to tend to." he narrowed his gaze at me. "Make sure it eats." and with that he was gone. I didn't move just sat glaring in the direction he had just been. The plate was shoved at me again. In and instant I was on my feet, I grabbed the plate and broke it over Grease pit's head. He went down with a thud just as an alarm went off.

"Not again." the doc groaned. I wasn't sure which "again" he was referring to. He was out of the room in a flash, leaving me standing over Grease pit's unconscious body. _Idiot _I thought but just as I headed for the doors four men toting guns came bursting in. Of course. Why would something ever be easy? I waited for one of them to make a move. The first one who did got a nice round-house kick to the face. I heard something snap and he fell face first onto the floor. Ouch. I smiled and motioned for the next one but had to duck instead as the wall behind me came crashing in. I spun around to find bikers. No, not just bikers. They were mice. Giant freakin' mice with antennas on motorcycles.

"What do you say we teach these goons a lesson bros?" Asked the tan one. The other two nodded vigorously and smiled mischievously. Then the big gray one caught sight of me.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Are you alright?" he asked, I could hear the concern in his voice. I was about to answer when my vision went blurry and next thing I knew my world went black.

"Is she gonna be alright?" I heard someone ask.

"She should be fine but she's malnourished. She needs to eat as soon as possible." a woman's voice.

"Are you sure she ain't dead?" Another voice. "She's hasn't moved in three days."

Three days? I had been out cold for three days? A loud crack. "Ow! What was that for?"

"She's not dead. Just badly beaten. These marks show years of abuse and neglect. Lucky you guys found her. She wouldn't have lasted much longer." it was the woman again. I groaned as something cold was laid on my forehead. Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking against the light. It took me a moment to realize my right eye was so badly swollen it wouldn't open all the way. Great.

"Hey, hey! Look! She's waking up." Four figures came into view. It was the three mice. The other was a woman with long dark hair.

"W-where am I?" I pushed myself up into a sitting position and winced at the pain in my arm. But when I looked at it I didn't find my half-hearted attempt to stabilize it. It was now in an actual cast, someone had written on it. I squinted to understand the writing. _Get better soon - Modo. _ I looked around the room and studied each of their faces.

"You're safe. That's all that matters." The woman wrapped a hand around my good one to comfort me. "What's your name?"

"Van. My name is Van. Who are you?" I really didn't care as long as no one was hitting me or breaking my bones but I didn't trust that easily. Especially since I was outnumbered.

"I'm Charley. This is Throttle, Vinnie, and Modo." Charley said, pointing to each one as she said their name.

"How long have you been with Limburger?" The tan one, Throttle, asked.

"I'm not with him! I never was! The creep stole me from my home and forced me to-" I cut myself off I didn't want to relive the past. "to do things for him."

"Oooh feisty! Nice." Vinnie smiled. His comment was met by a nice whack to the back of the head.

"That rat Limburger did this to you?" Modo asked gesturing toward my arm and eye and multiple cuts and bruises. I hesitated.

"Yes." I saw his, well eye the other was covered by a patch, darken in anger for a split second before returning to the kindness I'd seen before.

"Well bros what do you say we go teach Limburger a few lessons on how to treat a lady?" Throttle suggested.

"Sounds good to me." Modo said rising to his feet. Fists clenched at his side. I noticed his metal arm and stared for a moment.

"Be back later sweetheart." Vinnie winked at Charley.

"Take care of her, babe. We'll be back soon." Throttle said putting on his helmet. A split second later they were gone. The roar of motorcycles fading into the distance.

"I don't know what I'm going to do about them." Charley said to herself, shaking her head at the new hole in her wall. "You should probably eat so you can regain your strength. Is there anything in particular I can get you?" she moved to wipe my dab my forehead with the rag. I shook my head, I wasn't used to such kindness. She nodded and smiled at me but it was a weak smile filled with pity. "I'll just be in the other room. If you think of something just yell." She got up to walk away but I quickly grabbed her wrist.

"Don't let him find me. I can't go through that again. I'd rather die than be a prisoner." tears stung my eyes as I spoke, remembering the hell my life had been for the past eight years. Charley sat back down and took my hand in hers, eyes full of compassion.

"I promise you, we won't let that monster come anywhere near you. This is your home now. You're safe here." despite all the pain I forced myself up, threw my arms around her, and let the tears fall. Relief washed over me. I had a home, I was safe, no words had ever meant more to me.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I woke up the next day with an odd feeling. At first I brushed it off as nothing more than the wound to my head acting up but then I realized there were no bars. No pitch black cell. I was in a small room, tucked in a warm bed rather than on a hard cement floor. Morning light streamed through the window in the corner and somewhere below music was blasting over a radio. I eased myself into a sitting position as I surveyed my surroundings. Everything came back in a rush, overwhelming me to the point of dizziness.

The door creaked open and a furry grey face appeared. "Mornin'." Modo greeted me, he was carrying a tray filled with assorted breakfast items. "Charley-girl said you should probably eat so I brought you some breakfast if you're hungry." He smiled a warm, yet somewhat nervous smile. My stomach growled at me saying I better accept it so I nodded and he set the tray in front of me.

"Hey, well look who's finally up."Throttle said as he slipped into the room, Vinnie right behind him. "How are you feeling?"

"A little stiff and sore but nothing I'm not used to or won't get over."

"Yeah well you shouldn't have those injuries in the first place." Modo said gruffly.

"A lot of things happen that no one person can have control over. Sometimes you gotta just roll with the punches. Even if that means you end up with a couple of bruises you just gotta get up and keep on going." I shrugged, it was something River had once said to me, and took a bite of cereal. It had been far too long since I'd had a decent meal.

"It's a good thing Limburger won't get over his injuries for long time." Vinnie smirked.

"You'd be surprised." I heard myself saying but couldn't understand why I was allowing this information to come from my mouth. "The doc isn't always crazy. He actually came up with something to help heal wounds faster."

"Really? What's that?" Throttle asked and again my mouth took on a life of its own.

"Me. My blood." I said and met his gaze levelly. "That's why I've been held prisoner for eight years. So that they can use me for their experiments. Figure out how to harness my abilities and use them for their purposes. But since I was never a cooperative subject I got these." I gestured to my wounds. "I overheard one of their conversations. He plans to create a better, stronger army. Soldiers whose injuries will not hinder them but heal rapidly, so that they cannot be stopped. And he will use them to conquer and destroy Earth and all its inhabitants. That's why he will come after me. He needs my DNA in order to make it happen. The regenerative properties in it are what he needs to create this army. " I chuckled to myself. "My blood. My stupid cursed lineage is all it takes for the downfall of the world." I murmured and looked up at them apologetically.

"Well, bros. How do we wanna handle this?" Throttle asked.

"I don't know but we better figure it out fast. We got trouble, with a capital T." Vinnie said peeking out the window.

"Don't these guys ever take a break?" Modo asked walking up beside Vinnie to see what was going on. "Throttle we got at least six goons, counting Grease pit."

"What's he holding onto-"

"A hostage." Modo finished for Vinnie.

"Oh Van! We know you're in dere. Come on out and your friend here won't get hurt!" Grease pit shouted. _Friend? _I scurried out of bed against my legs protesting and ran to the window.

"River!" tears stung my eyes. No how could they possibly have captured him.

"Van! If you're in there don't listen to him! I'll be fine!" there was a loud crack as Grease pit bashed his gun into River's head. Knocking him out cold.

"No!" I shrieked and ran for the door . I had to get to him but I was cut off by Throttle.

"You're in no condition to go anywhere especially to face them."

"Yeah, sweetheart. Leave the fighting to us."

"Where I'm from the girls fight just as well as guys and I trained with the best now move." I growled. "You don't understand if I don't go they'll kill him. "

"And if you do they'll kill you both." Throttle pointed out.

"Just trust me. I know what I'm doing! That's my best friend out there! You would do the same for either of them!"

"I'm not injured." he said calmly.

"And I've suffered worse. I can handle this please just let me go." I pleaded.

"Fine. But you're not going alone." and with that I raced out the door, down the steps, and outside where Grease pit stood waiting.

River lay in a crumpled heap on the ground. I wanted to run to him but knew it was wise to stay out of his reach.

"Alright boys get her." Grease pit ordered. The other goons started closing in. I heard the screeching of tires and then, "Not so fast, Grease pit." said Throttle.

"Yeah, she's not goin anywhere with you." Modo chimed in.

"Is dat so. Well don't tink yous have a say in da matter." he motioned for the other men to go after them instead. Then he turned his sights back on me. "Now come along quietly and your friend here lives." he said.

"Never." I shook my head.

"Ok den." he aimed his gun at River's head.

"No!" I screamed and jumped in the way just as he pulled the trigger. The bullet lodged itself in my leg but I grabbed River and scrambled back towards the house as fast as my injured leg would carry me. "Come on. Wake up, wake up." I urged him as Grease pit started towards me. Next thing I knew Modo came between us.

"You best run back to your boss before things really get ugly." he warned motioning to the rest of the goons who were now unconscious at Throttle and Vinnie's feet. Grease pit glared but started walking away. "You get inside we'll finish up here." Modo hurried me along. I nodded and did as he said.

As soon as I closed the door I dropped to the ground beside River and checked for a pulse. It was fine and he was breathing normal. I let out a relieved sigh and brushed some runaway bangs out of his face. Gently I lifted his head onto my lap, ignoring the searing pain in my lower left leg. Softly I whispered in his ear, "You're safe now." and kissed his forehead.


End file.
